Nintendo E3 Direct: Pokemon Sword & Shield Work With Poke Ball Plus

Nintendo shared a wealth of details about Pokemon Sword and Shield during last week’s dedicated Pokemon Direct, but that didn’t mean Tuesday’s livestream didn’t have some new information about the upcoming Pokemon RPGs. During its E3 Direct, Nintendo revealed that Pokemon Sword and Shield will be compatible with the Poke Ball Plus.

The Poke Ball Plus is the Poke Ball-shaped controller that released alongside last year’s Pokemon games, Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee. As we learned during the Direct, you’ll be able to send some of your Pokemon from Sword and Shield to the Poke Ball Plus and take them with you on walks, just as you could in Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee. Nintendo teases that something good may happen if you bring your Pokemon with you.

However, it doesn’t appear you’ll be able to use the Poke Ball Plus as a controller for Sword and Shield. The Let’s Go games could be played entirely using the Poke Ball Plus, but it seems its functionality with Sword and Shield is limited to taking monsters with you on walks. The Poke Ball Plus retails for $50 USD / £45. If you use it with Let’s Go Pikachu or Eevee, you’ll also receive the Mythical Pokemon Mew.

That wasn’t the only Pokemon news we got. During the Treehouse livestream that followed the E3 Direct, Nintendo shared some new details about Raid Battles in Sword and Shield. These Raids are cooperative battles in which up to four players can team up to battle a giant-sized Pokemon. You’ll be able to take part in Max Raids either locally or online.